Indonesian govt mulls new law for data protection to beef up cybersecurity

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The Indonesian government is looking to impose a data protection law this week, which can result in a fine of up to IDR5 billion and prison for the leakage of data, reported Bloomberg.

According to the copy obtained by Bloomberg, institutions can collect persona information but this records must be erased when the purpose is met. Moreover, companies have two years to comply with the rules once it is made a law.

The news comes amidst rising cyber security breaches in Indonesia. Just recently, the Indonesian communications ministry was investigating the reports of the leaked personal data of IndiHome subscribers. According to reports, browsing history, dates, passwords, domains, platforms, and URL links were the exposed data. On the other hand, other confidential and sensitive data, such as email addresses, sex, phone numbers, and residence identification cards were also leaked.

Last September, another such incident also occurred where Indonesia government said it was investigating a suspected security flaw in a COVID-19 test-and-trace app after the data of 1.3 million users from the health ministry’s electronic Health Alert Card (eHAC) app were exposed in an open server, multiple media reports including Reuters and CNN Indonesia said. According to a report by cybersecurity research firm vpnMentor published on 30 August 2021, the leaked data contained ID, address, and health history.

Most recently, media reports said the country’s National Cyber and Encryption Agency saw an alleged data leak of 105 million Indonesians.

According to Kearny, Indonesia’s economy has performed well over the past decades, becoming the world’s 16th largest economy with a GDP of more than US$1 trillion in 2020. To keep up with the competitiveness, digital growth is a must where Indonesia’s national digital transformation is no longer just a piece of economic development; it’s becoming the national economic development itself.